Guild Poaching

[mostevil]

I really just wanted to know the general view of this tbh, the question is

Is it ever acceptible to poach players from another guild?

Examples:

Posting your new guild forum link on other peoples forums and asking them to join.

Constantly pm members of your old guild and asking them to move to your new guild, to the point where people have had to put you on the ignore list.

As you can most likely tell i dont agree with it but i just wanted to know others point of view.

[katriell]

What you describe is entirely unacceptable, in my opinion.

A gentle, highly infrequent reminder to a player that they're welcome to join one's guild is acceptable if one has good reasons for it and the player's best interests in mind.

[acridiel]

Is it ever acceptible to poach players from another guild?

Depends on how its done.
If done "properly", which in my book means unintrusively and within the boundaries of common sense, it´s all up to the players if they decide to switch guilds.

Examples:

Posting your new guild forum link on other peoples forums and asking them to join.

Would be OK for me, if done only once in an "info-post". Like:
"Hey Guys, this is my new guild. Take a look and decide for yourself."

Constantly pm members of your old guild and asking them to move to your new guild, to the point where people have had to put you on the ignore list.

The ignore solution already answers this question.
No, it´s not acceptable behavior.
To hassle players and to get on their nerves will only make you look ridiculous and not gain you any sympathies. Probably even destroying those you had before.

Its just silly.

CU
Acridiel

[kalindra]

What you describe is a form of harassment. Plus, angering the people you're trying to recruit is clearly not the best way to make them join. Enough said.

[dakhound]

happens all the time but only people who are not totally happy with their current guild can be seduced so its not really a worry.

delete the link from yer guild forum, let the people who want to go join them and be happy with those who want to carry on building a strong guild.

when guilds split it is obviously worse as the other guild tend to have built relationships already with your/their old guild members.

[fiach]

happens all the time but only people who are not totally happy with their current guild can be seduced so its not really a worry.

What Jack said

[whiterider]

I'd say advertising your guild on another guild's forum is very bad manners... and it makes the rather patronising assumption that any members of that guild who aren't happy where they are need your help to find a guild better suited to them.

If you have a friend who you'd like to join your guild, then I'd agree with Acri that it's fine to make them the offer - and as Jack says, if they're happy they'll turn you down, but keep the offer in mind in future; if they're not, you might gain a guildie, without the need for impoliteness.

[vonzuben]

I’d say that normally poaching members is very bad form with the exception of close friends just talking amongst themselves about getting together if situations are changing.

But let’s suppose a guild has existed for 4 years, and its original GL stopped playing for 3 years, then suddenly returns, and within a week boots one of the most helpful, committed, and active HOs without getting to understand the situation whatsoever.

That HO just finished investing a significant portion of their last 2 years into building the guild and the guild has become very much a part of that HO. Now let’s suppose that HO decides that the only thing he/she can do to avoid just quitting the game, is to form a new guild founded by x-members of their previous guild.

In this situation I think it should be expected that this HO (now new GL) makes a point of speaking to all his or her friends who don’t agree with what happened and don’t support the new leadership of the old guild. (Essentially it was not just an HO who was kicked, because by doing so you’ve kicked half the guild)

This is not poaching members from a guild, it’s offering a solution to friends who wish to stay together and need a new home that they can feel comfortable in.

Now this is probably sounding rather specific and that’s because it is. Zella who started this thread is the above mentioned “original GL who stopped playing for 3 years”. If you’d like to know the details of the story you can CLICK HERE, but be warned it’s a long story most would probably rather stay out of it.

Also since this is essentially unwanted drama that does not belong on this forum, I’d welcome a moderator locking or deleting the thread. (not for myself since I welcome the opportunity for the truth to get out, but for the rest of the players who want to just have fun)


One thing I’d like to say is that for me, I’m having fun again. A fresh start is great! I know that problems in guilds are not that uncommon and it’s happening in other guilds right now as we speak. A problem occurring does not mean the guild is weak or has poor leadership. What counts is how it’s handled when it DOES occur. For me this is an excellent learning opportunity and will benefit myself and friends for RL situations too.

So let’s all go back to playing Ryzom and having fun. Remember to be good, but not too good! *lick*

[catfud]

I don't know the ins and outs of everything, I have read your "click here" forum post though.

From what I can tell it seems there was a lot of conflicting ideas of how things should be done amongst the HO and GL. IMO for a guild to be successful you really need the HOs and GLs all reading from the same page.

I definately think you will benefit from your new guild. I'd see this more as a divide in guild interests going seperate ways rather than poaching. The members should go with whatever guild rule set makes them happy. The change could very well help both guilds to grow and lessen tentions. Plus you have said you want the new guild to remain friendly with the old. It's good to have different guilds following different ways, means there is a home for everyone

If you need any help to kickstart your new guild Swee,t DCP are happy to help.

[zarozina]

If someone wants to leave one guild for another with whom they are friends, then they will do so and should be allowed to do so under their own steam. Poaching is not required. If they need to be "poached" then they either don't want to leave in the first place, or they are likely as not beng persuaded to do so by propaganda. As this puts neither the departing nor the recieving guild in a good light, the whole thing seems somewhat counterpriductive.

Secondly, if they can be persuaded to be poached once, then likely as not they can be persuaded again, which begs the question: Do you want that person in your newly formed guild anyway?

My 2 cents worth.